By Karissa Shatzer -
MIDDLETOWN, Pa.
Airport police officers are
trusted to protect the thousands of people who pass through every day. But at
least one of those officers at Harrisburg International Airport is accused of
betraying that trust.
Investigators said he got away
with more than $11,000 in police funds.
According to court paperwork,
40-year-old Todd MacFarlane admitted to stealing more than $11,400 between
September, 2010 and September, 2013. That money was taken from the police
association, an organization that he was both president and treasurer of.
"No public money was
involved. It was from basically the union for those officers," said Fan Chardo,
first assistant district attorney in Dauphin County.
When a new association
president replaced MacFarlane in the fall, the new boss noticed something was
not quite right with the bank account, authorities said.
"Well the new officers
were assuming their duties and reviewing the books and they realized there had
been this theft," Chardo said.
Court paperwork states
MacFarlane took the money from an ATM and used it for "personal living
expenses."
"Going to make full
restitution, which goes a long way in mitigating the punishment. Certainly
giving the money back is not the same as not having taken it," Chardo
said.
Prosecutors said the incident
should not shine a bad light on all police officers.
"In any profession and in
any occupation there are gonna be people that make mistakes and violate the law
and police work is no different. And certainly it shouldn't reflect on a great
majority of honest police officers," said Chardo.
abc27 News received a statement
from the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority:
"Susquehanna Area Regional
Airport Authority (SARAA) is aware that one of our former officers has been
charged with engaging in alleged criminal conduct. SARAA cooperated fully with
the investigation and has detailed policies and procedures in place to prevent
improper activities by its employees. The alleged conduct did not involve any
SARAA property or assets."
